Melanoma occurs when the pigment-producing cells that give color to the skin become cancerous.
Incidence: Common
○ More than 75,000 US cases per year
○ 5.5% of all cancers
○ 1 person dies from melanoma every hour in the US
○ Treatable by a medical professional
○ Requires a medical diagnosis
○ Lab tests or imaging always required
Symptoms might include a new, unusual growth or a change in an existing mole. Melanomas can occur anywhere on the body. It is the most serious form of skin cancer. If allowed to grow, melanoma can spread quickly to other parts of the body. This condition can be deadly. Melanoma will sometimes appear as a dark spot or a wound that will not heal. It may grow, change shape or bleed. It is unlike other skin cancers because it may develop on areas that rarely get exposed to sunlight, such as the groin or the soles of the feet. Melanoma also has a high tendency to spread to other organs. Metastatic melanoma can migrate to the lymph nodes, liver, lungs, bones or brain.
